It's August 1st and I made a decision over the weekend to teach Sanchez and Gina something new everyday during August. Since I retired Sanchez from agility, we've started doing more tricks and canine freestyle training. We do this in the evenings and he literally cries and begs to train with me. While I'm sure the treats help (he is a Lab!), I really think he likes being mentally challenged and learning new behaviors. I've also noticed that it's easy for me to get lazy and keep training behaviors that he already knows. But, really, what's the fun in that? It's like me sitting down at the piano everyday and only playing what I know. It's so much more satisfying to learn new music. So, I've decided to teach Sanchez something new everyday during August, even if some of it is shaping on the way to the desired behavior.

I took a fabulous clicks and tricks class with Diane Gibbons at Camp Unleashed in June. Even though Sanchez wasn't with me, it gave me a lot of ideas on behaviors to teach him that we can incorporate into a canine freestyle routine. I also have recently started using the Staples Easy Button to help shape behaviors. Stay tuned for a video of him walking on my feet that I taught him via the Easy Button. It's also helping us prepare for American Dog Idol at Camp Unleashed Sequoia.

An absolutely fabulous private agility lesson with Sandy Rogers this weekend gave me some new ideas for Gina. We are working on independent weave poles - meaning she will go through 12 weave poles when directed, without her needing me by her side. Although she absolutely loves to weave and is very fast with a steady rhythm, her weak point has been doing weave poles at any venue, indoors or out, and anywhere on the course. While she's great at them in our indoor facility, that's not going to help at trials. Sandy gave me great trips for teaching independent weave poles, and I'll be making it to the field to practice every day when I return from my vacation.

In the meantime, I've decided that saying she isn't good at generalization is my weakness, not hers. If I want her to have consistent behaviors anywhere, it's up to me to teach them to her. At Sandy's suggestion, over the weekend we started tugging in a variety of rooms and outdoors. I've started at a time when she loves to tug (after eating) with her favorite tug toy. I'll be adding something new to the mix daily - a different tug toy, a different room, a different time for tugging, gradually more distractions, etc. I'm happy to report that I just took a break, and she tugged outside, with a tug toy we'd never used outdoors, and she kept tugging when the neighbor's dog came by - usually a big distraction for her.

Tonight, I'll be taking my piano bench and contact board outdoors to help her learn to touch the target no matter where I run.

Any readers want to take on this challenge with me? What new tricks and behaviors could you teach your dogs daily that would stimulate them while building relationship with you? Thanks for posting your comment and sharing your ideas.

As co-founder of Through a Dog’s Ear, I am offering my readers a free download from our latest release, Music to Calm your Canine Companion, Vol. 3. Simply click here and enter your email address and a link to the free download will be delivered to your inbox for you and your canine household to enjoy.

A few months back, I was asked by Camp Unleashed founder Annie Brody if I would consider being the local director of the first Camp Unleashed on the West Coast. I knew of Annie's work for years and of her passion to help provide a safe place in nature for dogs to be off leash, in a pack, with other social dogs, while bonding with their people. For eight years, she had been doing that on the East Coast in the Berkshires (MA), and had recently opened her second location in Asheville, NC. Now she was wanting to come west.

When Annie originally asked me, I had just made a huge change in my life by selling the music school I owned for 14 years. That decision was inspired by my desire to devote my time to improving the lives of dogs and their people through my co-founded Through a Dog's Ear business. I was hesitant to add another new thing to my life, when I was trying to clear the space for my work with Through a Dog's Ear.

When making major life decisions, I often spend quiet time looking at my image board. It's a compilation of all of my dreams, aspirations, hopes, visions, and desires that I created at the start of 2011. When I looked at it, I read the words, "Living with Dogs", "Talk to the Animals", "Responsible Dog Ownership", "and people who love dogs almost as much as dogs love people". How could I read those words and possibly say no to being the director of a new Camp Unleashed? It was still fulfilling my mission of improving the lives of dogs and their people, just in an expanded way.

A few months have passed and I've so enjoyed choosing the faculty and staff for camp. It's been delightful being able to bring on board so many fabulous instructors that I've already worked with in some capacity, whether it be a group dog sport related class, private training sessions, or people who have given fabulous presentations that I attended.

When I first adopted Gina, I had some private clicker training sessions with Marissa Martino, the Behavior and Training Manager of the East Bay SPCA. She helped us learn loose leash walking. Marissa is the new Off Leash Behavior Director at Camp Sequoia.

Nancy Campanile is one of the agility instructors at ACE Dog Sports, where I train. Every class of Nancy's is fun and playful, while still being educational and informative. Nancy has the rare ability to help you laugh at yourself when you make a mistake, while still inspiring a bonding experience for you and your dog. I am thrilled to have her as the Camp Sequoia agility instructor.

Sanchez and I learned musical canine freestyle from Ruthanna Levy. Coming from a background of both dance and positive reinforcement dog training, she is the perfect freestyle teacher. Her ability to help students choreograph music that is fitting for both the person and the dog is beyond measure. She'll be a great addition to Camp Sequoia, both as a freestyle instructor and clicks & tricks teacher.  And I'm hoping Ziggy will make an appearance with her on closing night at American Dog Idol.

Earlier today, Dogster's blogger, Maria Goodavage, posted a blog on a Camp Unleashed contest. Entrants have until August 1st to post a comment on the Dogster blog stating why they and their dog deserve to win the prize of a full scholarship (travel not included) to the camp of their choice - in Massachusetts, North Carolina, or California. It's heart-warming reading all of the comments and, as a contest judge, it's going to be extremely challenging choosing a winner.

Can you help me decide? Any comments on the Dogster blog that particularly stand out to you? Or maybe you want to win the contest? Post your comment on Dogster, and then come back here and tell me why you feel you and your dog should be chosen as the lucky winner.

Good luck! I'm not sure who will be happier, the human or canine winner!

As co-founder of Through a Dog’s Ear, I am offering my readers a free download from our latest release, Music to Calm your Canine Companion, Vol. 3. Simply click here and enter your email address and a link to the free download will be delivered to your inbox for you and your canine household to enjoy.

It's thunderstorm season. While I've read that 20% of dogs are thunder-phobic, the number may actually be higher, as it doesn't include people who have never sought treatment for their thunder-phobic dogs. After all, who would have ever known that treatment could be as simple as sound therapy? Honestly, even I wouldn't have believe it a few years back.

When the music of Through a Dog's Ear went into clinical testing in 2004, we didn't even test it on dogs with thunder-phobia. However, calming results were experienced by dogs with other sound-phobic issues. I have since learned from behavioral experts that when a dog is sound phobic in one area, it usually crosses over into many areas. So, it shouldn't be so surprising that dogs who slept through fireworks while Through a Dog's Ear music played also slept through thunderstorms.

Here's what Pamela G. in Wales had to say about using sound therapy to treat thunder-phobia with her fearful dog....

"I found Calm your Canine Companion Vol. 1 last January as I was looking for something to soothe my new rescue foxhound who was very timid. I usually played it for her and my other pooch when I had to go but one day I decided to play it for her when there was a nasty (and loud) storm. I'm not really sure what happened, but the next thing I knew, I woke up to the stereophonic snoring of the dogs curled up on either side of me. Needless to say, it ended up being a very relaxing day for the 3 of us."

And Mel H. about fell out of her chair when she found Bean snoozing to Music to Calm your Canine Companion Vol. 2.....

"No lie: Bean is sleeping ON THE FLOOR. DURING A THUNDERSTORM. I still can’t believe it. She is currently listening to Reverie on the “Calm Your Companion: Vol 2″ CD. In the year and a half I’ve had her, we’ve spent every thunderstorm either holding her or sitting next to her and petting her or having her pace around the room with her ears flattened to her head." Read her full blog....

Our dream at Through a Dog's Ear is to improve the lives of millions of dogs with sound therapy. We hate to see dogs suffer needlessly during thunderstorms. So we are offering our readers a Thunder Remedy special on the Calm your Canine music series. From July 19-25, purchase all three CD's from the Calm your Canine Companion series for only $33.71. That's a savings of 25% off!

100% Satisfaction Guarantee! We unconditionally guarantee your satisfaction with Through a Dog’s Ear products. If, for any reason, you are dissatisfied with the Calm your Canine series purchased through our website, simply return the three CDs and materials within 30-days of purchase. Please include your receipt for a full refund (minus shipping charges) or exchange. CD’s must be returned in original packaging in like-new condition.

How are your dogs during thunderstorms? If they are thunder-phobic, what remedies have you tried? Thanks for sharing your comments.

As co-founder of Through a Dog’s Ear, I am offering my readers a free download from our latest release, Music to Calm your Canine Companion, Vol. 3. Simply click here and enter your email address and a link to the free download will be delivered to your inbox for you and your canine household to enjoy.

By Lisa Spector, Canine Music Expert, Juilliard Graduate, and co-creator of Through a Dog’s Ear.

Gina and Sanchez snoozing during fireworks

According to veterinary behaviorist Bonnie Beaver, 20% of dogs of all ages and breeds suffer from noise phobia so severe that their people seek professional help for them. My guess is that percentage goes way up if you included dogs who are never seen by professionals. When our bio-acoustic research team originally went into phase two clinical testing on music that is now known as Through a Dog's Ear, we purposely started testing just before July 4th in the U.S., due to the huge number of dogs who experience anxiety when they hear fireworks. After all, they are hearing loud, random booms that they rarely hear others time of the year. They can't orient the sound, and they don't know if the sounds signify upcoming danger.

Humans hear frequencies for 20 to 20,000 Hz (how fast a sound wave is traveling  - one Hz is one wave cycle per second). The high range for dogs is at least 50,000 Hz. So they are hearing the fireworks significantly louder than we are. No wonder that more dogs escape their yards on July 4th than any other day of the year. The loud booms confuse them and they will do anything to seek safety and comfort.

Sound therapy to the rescue. While it doesn't work on every dog, 80% of the dogs in the home environment who went through clinical testing exhibited signs of calming when listening to music of Through a Dog's Ear (specifically Music to Calm your Canine Companion). Since our release in 2008, I have personally heard from hundreds of people in the U.S. who have replaced drugs with sound therapy on July 4th and the days preceeding.

Here are some of the comments and stories I received this week:

"I put the CD in at around 9:00 knowing the fireworks would be starting around 9:30. So down the basement, with Music to Calm your Canine Volume 1 playing, it couldn't have been better! Thank you, Thank you! Three great nights of togetherness with beatiful background music and no shaking."  Molson Golden

"Annie and I thank you for your wonderful CD, she made it through the 4th peacefully!"  Reba R., Boise, Idaho

"Yesterday was the 4th of July and even though it is illegal in our city to shoot off fireworks, some people will always do it anyway. Our 9 year old German Sheppard, Kobuk, is terrified of the sounds from fireworks. It had been very quiet in our neighborhood until around 11:30 PM when the fireworks began. Kobuk became very upset and looked for a place to get away from the noise. I got out of bed and played the sampler CD that came with the book, Through a Dog's Ear. Within 3 songs, Kobuk was completely calm and beginning to go back to sleep. I cannot tell you how comforting your music is to own. I wish we had known about you and your product years ago. It is horrible to watch any animal, especially your own dog, be so traumatized and be so helpless to be able to calm them. Thank you very much. My wife and I (and our dogs!) wish you great success."  Daryl P., Anchorage, Alaska

"Thank you for your wonderful music. It is getting us through the fireworks." Dianna B.

"Despite Lucy's high anxiety about everything else, she has been amazingly calm during the heavy (and illegal) fireworks barrages in our neighborhood. Not a bark, whimper, shake, hide, quiver, or ""what's that?" look from her. She goes outside willingly on her routine potty breaks and seems more interested in the fireflies than the boom booms. Thank heavens! No drugs needed. Though *I* will need the TaDE music to get myself to sleep soon!"  J.J. B

How do your dogs do during fireworks? Thanks for clicking on "comment" and sharing your stories.

As co-founder of Through a Dog’s Ear, I am offering my readers a free download from our latest release, Music to Calm your Canine Companion, Vol. 3. Simply click here and enter your email address and a link to the free download will be delivered to your inbox for you and your canine household to enjoy.

By Lisa Spector, Canine Music Expert, Juilliard Graduate, and co-creator of Through a Dog’s Ear.

July 4th is around the corner, along with the fireworks that inevitably come with this holiday. Almost all humans with canines in the United States declare this day the worst day of the year for their dogs. Veterinarians say that July 3rd is usually the most trafficked day in their offices, with clients coming in to get drugs for their dogs.  A few years ago, I found a lost dog on the 4th of July. He was obviously a well fed, groomed, and trained dog that escaped his yard when he heard the fireworks. When I called our local Humane Society, I was informed that it is the busiest time of the year for them, as more dogs are found wandering loose on July 4th than any other day of the year in the U.S.

Ten Tips for providing a safe July 4th for your Canine Household: (Please note that tips 9, and 10 require purchasing items ahead of time.)

1. Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise earlier in the day.

2. Keep your dogs inside during fireworks, preferably with human companionship. If it’s hot, air conditioning will help. Bringing your dogs to a fireworks display is never a good idea.

3. Provide a safe place inside for your dogs to retreat. When scared of sounds they can’t orient, dogs often prefer small enclosed areas. (I once had a dog who climbed in the bathtub during windstorms.) If your dog is comfortable in a crate, that is a good option.

4. If possible, keep the windows and curtains closed.

5. Make sure all your dogs are wearing ID tags with a properly fitting collar. (Dogs have been known to become Houdini around the 4th of July.)

6. Leave your dog something fun to do – like a frozen Kong filled with his favorite treats.

7. Train with counter classical conditioning. Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., CAAB, has a very clear definition and tips here.

Using sensory enrichment to calm dogs:

8. Sound Therapy: Play Music to Calm your Canine Companion Vol. 1, 2, and 3 by Through a Dog’s Ear. It is most effective when you first play the music well before the fireworks start, at a time the dog is already feeling peaceful and relaxed. He will begin to associate the music with being calm and content. Then play the music a couple of hours before the fireworks start and continue to play through bedtime. The music doesn’t need to be loud to be effective as it has been clinically demonstrated to calm the canine nervous system. Listen to free sound samples. Click here to purchase a download of Music to Calm your Canine Companion Vol. 2. Two years ago, I received a heart warming email from a woman who told me that it was the first 4th of July that she didn’t need to drug her dog, thanks to the music of Through a Dog’s Ear. On previous years, he had jumped out of windows. She said, “It was like Dog Ambien! Dambien!” Read the full story

9. Tactile: There are two canine wraps on the market that reportedly help sound phobic dogs. The original Anxiety Wrap was invented by professional dog trainer Susan Sharpe, CPDT-KA. The patented design uses acupressure and maintained pressure to reduce stress. The thundershirt is also a wrap for your dog that provides gentle, constant pressure. Their website reports that over 85% of Thundershirt users see significant improvement in noise anxiety symptoms. Most dogs respond with the very first usage; some need 2-3 usages before showing significant improvement.

10. Scent: Canine Calm, an all-natural mist from Earth Heart™ Inc., can help dogs relax and cope more effectively with loud noises and other stressful situations. Directions on their website say to spray Canine Calm onto your hands and massage the dog’s outer ears or abdomen. Or lightly mist the air behind your dog’s head, inside the travel crate or car, or directly onto bedding or clothing.

Do you have any additional tips for helping keep dogs calm and safe on this noisy holiday? Thanks for clicking comment below and sharing your suggestions. Also, feel free to share how your dogs have acted during previous July 4th holidays.

As co-founder of Through a Dog’s Ear, I am offering my readers a free download from our latest release, Music to Calm your Canine Companion, Vol. 3. Simply click here and enter your email address and a link to the free download will be delivered to your inbox for you and your canine household to enjoy.

Image Credit: Mary Witter K9orchestra.com  MAXCOWCOMICS PRESS

By Lisa Spector, Juilliard Graduate, Canine Music Expert and co-founder of Through a Dog’s Ear.

This past weekend, I attended a local "Yappy Hour", a growing popular term for a happy hour that welcomes dogs, usually in an outdoor setting. Gina spent the time retrieving balls and Sanchez was very content with his eyes glued to the food table, waiting for any morsel of food to drop to the ground to claim. I enjoyed meeting many new people and their dogs. One woman referred to me as "The Dog Lady", as I was supplying her with information on Camp Unleashed (where I am the local director of a new branch in California), information on ACE Dog Sports - the fabulous agility school where I train, and Through a Dog's Ear, music clinically demonstrated to relieve canine anxiety issues.

The Yappy Hour took place in my hometown of Half Moon Bay, California, where I recently sold a music school that I owned here for 14 years. I was talking about my upcoming Elegant Dinner Concert celebrating American Music, and have an identity as "The Piano Lady" to many long-term locals. However, I was instantly known as "The Dog Lady" to a new friend. How did that happen?

For one thing, probably by combining my love of music and dogs when I co-created Through a Dog's Ear. I don't love music more than dogs or visa-versa, they just have merged into this magical alchemy. I often perform for people. I sometimes perform for dogs. And my recordings are now heard by as may dogs as people. So, it just is a natural progression.

You can call me "The Piano Lady" or "The Dog Lady" or Lisa. Regardless, my mission is the same ~ to help improve the lives of dogs and their people worldwide by combining my love of dogs and music.

As co-founder of Through a Dog’s Ear, I am offering my readers a free download from our latest release, Music to Calm your Canine Companion, Vol. 3. Simply click here and enter your email address and a link to the free download will be delivered to your inbox for you and your canine household to enjoy.

By Lisa Spector, Juilliard Graduate, Canine Music Expert and co-founder of Through a Dog’s Ear.

You know the feeling... you meet a dog that needs a home and your gut just tells you that she belongs with you. Her forever home has just been found. That's how I felt when I met Gina a little over seven months ago, despite all of my excuses to not adopt her. She is two years old today, and I am so grateful she is now part of my family.

For a year, I agonized over the decision to add a second dog to my already full life. I looked at puppies, rescues, shelter dogs, and a neighbors dog needing a new home. But, there was always some reason that it just didn't feel like the right fit. Actually, no matter what reason I made up, I was terrified of getting a second dog.

I've always been a one dog at a time person. I didn't believe anyone who told me that two dogs is easier than one. I knew better to listen because I wouldn't just be putting them in the backyard to play together. I took Sanchez almost everywhere with me, and this would mean taking two dogs with me. Luckily, she was full grown at 42 pounds and probalby the smallest adult Lab I've ever seen, so not having room for two dog crates in the car was no longer an excuse.

Oh, I think back to the innocent fall day. I came across a notice in my agility yahoo group that a Black Lab was being career changed from Guide Dogs for the Blind. A trusted Guide Dogs evaluator highly recommended that she only be placed in a home where she'd have a new working career, and given her high energy and desire to please, agility was recommended. I had been on a break from agility practice and trials with Sanchez due to a knee I was nursing - mine, not his. My knee was getting stronger and I was ready to get back in the ring. But, as much as I love Sanchez, I didn't really want another Lab, and I certainly didn't want black fur to sweep up with all the blond fur, and then there was the bigger but.....did I really have the time, energy, and resources for another dog?

I thought, what's the harm with just meeting her? I was pretty sure that I could come up with some excuse for not adopting her. The plan was to bring Sanchez with me to the San Rafael Guide Dogs campus so they could meet, but I wanted to spend some time with her alone first. I'd already made the mistake with another dog I was considering adopting. All the focus was on how the two dogs interacted, while I completley ignored my feelings of knowing that dog just wasn't meant to be mine. In contrast, as soon as I walked Georgina (her Guide Dog name), I could tell how eager she was to please, how much she loved working, and I got a sense of her overall happiness level. I had promised myself that no matter what, I wouldn't make an impulsive decision. At a minimum, I would sleep on it overnight. So, I called the placement director the next morning, asked a few more quesitons, and decided that it was an affirmative "Yes"! But, I couldn't get back up to San Rafael for another week. Well, I can't even tell you how many hours of sleep I lost that week, lying in fear that I wasn't ready for another dog. But, as soon as I went to pick up Gina (the new call name I gave her), my fears were aleviated. Her non-stop wagging tail combined with her kisses and sweet demeanor clearly put me at ease and opened up my heart.

Happy 2nd Birthday to my sweet girl, Gina! You are an enormous gift in my life, and I'm eternally grateful that you are my forever dog.

As co-founder of Through a Dog’s Ear, I am offering my readers a free download from our latest release, Music to Calm your Canine Companion, Vol. 3. Simply click here and enter your email address and a link to the free download will be delivered to your inbox for you and your canine household to enjoy.

By Lisa Spector, Juilliard Graduate, Canine Music Expert and co-founder of Through a Dog’s Ear.

Dearest Byron,

Words can’t possibly express what a treasure and gift you have been in my life. 12 1/2 years ago I wrote an affirmation that brought you into my life. I posted it on my bedroom mirror and read it every day. Six months later, in June of 1991, I learned that a 21-month-old Golden Retriever named Byron needed a new home. I’ll never forget the first time I saw you. You were wet because you had been playing on the beach and your entire focus was on retrieving the stick. Once the stick was gone though and I walked you to your new home, you acted as if you just loved me instantly. Barry said we were just trying you out for awhile, but I knew from that moment, there was no going back. We were lifetime partners.

You loved your new home and we so loved having you with us. You hung out with me by the piano a lot, and I loved it when you rested your head on my pedal foot – your favorite position. Although I loved you a lot then, I think we bonded more after we separated from Barry. You became my Rock of Gibraltar at that point. I knew the day that I left our home that if I had you and my piano, I would be happy. Your mission was to take care of me, and mine was to take care of you and have you by my side as often as possible. Every day, you came to work with me and became the school mascot at my music school. People passing us on the street would often remark, “Your dog is smiling at me.”

What a team we made – hiking Montara mountain, daily walks along the coastal bluff tops, frequent romps on the beach chasing sticks and footballs. You always made sure I got lots of exercise and kept playing retrieve with your beloved frisbee. We took summer vacations together. Swimming with you was my all time favorite activity we shared, and I’m pretty sure it was yours. The first summer we went to Oregon together, we swam in every lake and river to be found. One day, after swimming and hanging out at the river for 7 hours, you cried like a baby when it was time to leave. Summer Lake Inn was the best, and I’ll always cherish the photograph of us swimming together there last summer.

This morning, you looked at me intently and this is the message I felt you were communicating to me: “Thank you for all you have given me, for I am eternally grateful. It has been the best life a dog could wish for. Remember this moment always, it is all that truly matters now. I have taught you well that love is more important than anything and the present moment is all that exists. It is now your time to carry this message out to the world.”

My commitment to you is to carry on in the lessons that you have taught me about peace, gentleness, and love. You are leaving your body, but you are not leaving me. Byron, thank you for being a miraculous gift in my life.

Infinite Love,
Lisa

The look he gave me that last morning carried me through many following challenging days. When a pet is part of your family, losing him/her can be a very painful experience. If we choose to have pets in our lives, pet loss is an inevitable part of the experience.

As I remember his passing eight years ago, I am reflecting on the support I received that helped me through that difficult time. And there are even more resources available today than there were then. Here are a few that you may find particularly helpful: 

PetLoss.com – A pet loss grief support website, including personal support, thoughtful advice, The Monday Pet Loss Candle Ceremony, Tribute Pages, and healing poetry.

Tufts University Pet Loss Suppot Hotline – Callers speak one-on-one with staff members (trained by a psychologist) for as long as they wish.

10 Tips on Coping with Pet Loss by Moira Anderson Allen,  M.E. – Very helpful tips covering everything from coping with feelings to deciding whether to stay with your pet during euthanasia.

ASPCA Pet Loss Support – Includes advice on everything from end of life care to tips on helping you decide if it’s time for euthanasia.

Care2 Pet Heaven eCard – Furry, fluffy, and fantastic. Not only are these cards sending a healing message, all Care2 eCards generate donations to great organizations.

Altar – After Byron passed, I created an altar in the area he used to eat. It included flowers, pictures of him, his dog bowl, collar and favorite toys. Having reflective moments in that sacred space proved to be very healing for me.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

(Author unknown)

What has helped you cope with pet loss? Thanks for clicking on comment and sharing your stories.

As co-founder of Through a Dog’s Ear, I am offering my readers a free download from our latest release, Music to Calm your Canine Companion, Vol. 3. Simply click here and enter your email address and a link to the free download will be delivered to your inbox for you and your canine household to enjoy.

By Lisa Spector, Juilliard Graduate, Canine Music Expert, and co-creator of Through a Dog’s Ear.

It’s May 17th and Sanchez is eight years old today. He was just a puppy yesterday, so I’m not sure how that happened. Truth be told, he is really responsible for starting Through a Dog’s Ear. 

The picture above is the day I first brought him home, at 15 weeks of age. Even though he wasn't mine, I fell in love with him at first sight. (Did you check out that puppy face?) I was a volunteer puppy raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind

in 2003. He was a puppy in training for Guide Dogs and he was only supposed to live with me for a year. (He had previously been with another puppy raiser since eight weeks of age.)

Don’t be fooled, Sanchez wasn’t as innocent as he looked. While he was as cute as a puppy can be, he was also a handful. As my Guide Dog leader used to say, “He’s a lot of dog.” To put it mildly, if you saw the movie or read the book

Marley & Me by John Grogan, Sanchez would have turned into Marley - had he not had any training or ever heard my piano playing. Like most Lab puppies, he had endless energy, and it was combined with a mind that worked overtime. He would walk into a room and study it, looking for the weak link where he could break the rules.

The first week I had Sanchez, I put his green jacket on him that said “Puppy in training for Guide Dogs for the Blind” and took him with me to a class taught by sound researcher Joshua Leeds. I was curious to learn about psychoacoustics, the study of the effects of music and sound on the human nervous system. Joshua’s application-specific soundtracks were being used in homes, clinics, classrooms and neuro-developmental centers around the world. Although I attended Joshua’s workshop so that I could learn how to bring his psychoacoustic principles back to my music school, little did I know that I would also be bringing them into the canine world.

After Joshua’s lecture, I started experimenting with the same psychoacoustic principles on Sanchez. I wondered if Sanchez would calm down if I slowed down and simplified Bach and lowered the frequencies. Did I mention that Sanchez was a bundle of energy? It was fascinating watching how reactive he was to this specialized music and how quickly he calmed down when the music with the right prescription of beats per minute, frequency range, and simplification were played.

Being a Guide Dog puppy is not easy for any dog. Some dogs are made for it, others are not, even though they all come from Guide Dog breeding. At 18 months of age, Sanchez was “career changed”. Needless to say, I had mixed feelings about this. I had been tracking him through his months of training and was cheering him on. But, quite truthfully, if he wasn't cut out to be a Guide Dog, I was ecstatic at the possibility of having Sanchez back in my home and my heart. So, I adopted him and he came home to live with me. I knew he was bred to work, and I needed to engage him in other work, while building a bond in our relationship. He’s since had three careers - agility, acting, and canine freestyle. And he now has a new canine sister, Gina.

But, one thing that has stayed constant throughout the years is my love for him and the healthy sound environment I provide. One of his dog beds is by my grand piano and he loves to snooze to my piano playing. He is with me a good percentage of the time. But, when I do need to leave him alone, he is always left with one or both of the volumes of Music to Calm your Canine Companion playing for him.

If Sanchez had a tag line, it would be “It’s All About Me!” And here’s how you benefit from it being all about Sanchez this week. Click this link to save $8 on any purchase of two or more items from   ThroughADogsEar.com. Enjoy Through a Dog's Ear music with your canine family - at an irresistible price. And please join me in wishing Señor Sanchez a very Happy 8th Birthday! Here's a picture of him at nearly eight years old!

By Lisa Spector, Canine Music Expert, Juilliard Graduate, and co-creator of Through a Dog’s Ear.

I regularly communicate with a multitude of people who make a difference in the lives of animals. Many conversations leave me in awe of how much people do to help animals. Sometimes it is part of their profession and other times it is through dedicated volunteer hours.

Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking to Jim St. Clair at Knox County Animal Shelter in Mt. Vernon, OH. It was our second conversation and it is very clear that this man really loves “his dogs”, as he lovingly refers to the dogs at his shelter.

Through a Dog’s Ear provides music that has been clinically demonstrated to calm the canine nervous system to shelters and rescue organizations at our cost. Our publisher, Sounds True, donated CD’s that go home with adopters and their new dogs.  Jim is a musician and knows the importance of playing music on a good sound system. So he reached out to his community and they donated the $1,000 needed to install good sound equipment for the dogs.

Since they started playing Through a Dog’s Ear music, barking that used to be non-stop all day has diminished to a rare bark here and there. During our phone conversation, I didn’t hear a single bark. Jim mentioned that he hadn’t heard a dog bark all day, while it used to be very difficult to carry on with phone conversations.

Then he told me about Trellis, named after the Ohio State Football Coach. Trellis had lived in the shelter for over a year. Nobody was interested in adopting him, because he was just a bundle of nervous energy. All that changed the day the music started playing on the new sound system. All of the sudden, he remained quiet and calm when potential adopters came by to say hello. His nervous system was soothed and he learned to control himself with visitors and shelter staff. Call it luck, coincidence, or synchronicity, but he recently was adopted into his forever home. Tears rolled down my cheeks when Jim told me that story. A dog is living happily ever after in his forever home because one man decided to raise funds for a sound system for “his dogs”.

What is something you or someone you know has done to make a difference in the life of an animal, a child, an elder, a homeless person? Thanks for clicking comment and sharing your experiences.

As co-creator of Through a Dog’s Ear, I am offering my readers a free download from our latest release, Music to Calm your Canine Companion, Vol. 3. Simply click here and enter your email address and a link to the free download will be delivered to your inbox for you and your canine household to enjoy.